Random Notes, Navigator, Montreal-NY, 10/3-10/15/19, LIVE!

[BBWC]

Thanks for your description of the ‘Iconic Towns’ tour. We are booked on that next June, but there was no upcharge for us.

[orvil]

So glad you had a good day.  It's a beautiful area. This is a perfect time of the year to visit.  

We independently booked a private car/tour when we visited during a Cunard cruise a few years ago.  The guide we were assigned was a retired Halifax police detective.  He showed us all the sites that you saw.

But, we got a bonus tour.  He passed by all of the Halifax housing projects where he had made arrests.  He told us all about his career and adventures.  It was a side of a very nice town that not many tourists get to see.

 

We got to stop at Tim Horton's, too.   

Edited October 10, 2019 by orvil

[Hambagahle]

1 hour ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

Possibly related.  I do know that Japanese tourists traditionally love P.E.I. because they are huge Anne of Green Gables fans.  Do they eat congee?

I don't think so.   I used to work with universities in Japan and so travelled there quite often over a period of years.  The only places I have seen congee are China and the Chinese speaking countries around there (Taiwan etc).  

[Wendy The Wanderer]

1 hour ago, Hambagahle said:

I don't think so.   I used to work with universities in Japan and so travelled there quite often over a period of years.  The only places I have seen congee are China and the Chinese speaking countries around there (Taiwan etc).  

 

Thanks.  It seems that Anne is getting popular in China too, so I'm imagining lots of 'peeper' tours of Eastern Canada.  

 

(The next person to visit Peggy's Cove, please ask that guy!)

[JPR]

When he governed Japan after WWII, General MacArthur required Japanese school children to read “Anne of Green Gables” as part of his strategy to prevent the reoccurrence of militarism and intolerance there. My understanding is that it is still on the standard school reading list there.

 

Consequently, to this day, the most popular place for Japanese to get married outside of Japan (and perhaps Hawaii) has been Prince Edward Island...

[Mr Rumor]

The Navigator will have a full tank when we depart Saint John.

[Kwaj girl]

And the Navigator says, "YUM!"  ⛽

[Mr Rumor]

16 minutes ago, Kwaj girl said:

And the Navigator says, "YUM!"  ⛽

And now the Navigator needs a nap—she imbibed 300 metric tons!

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

2 hours ago, JPR said:

When he governed Japan after WWII, General MacArthur required Japanese school children to read “Anne of Green Gables” as part of his strategy to prevent the reoccurrence of militarism and intolerance there. My understanding is that it is still on the standard school reading list there.

 

Consequently, to this day, the most popular place for Japanese to get married outside of Japan (and perhaps Hawaii) has been Prince Edward Island...

 

Wow, he sure created a monster! 🙄

[JPR]

17 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

Wow, he sure created a monster! 🙄

Actually, he tamed a monster...

[Mr Rumor]

8 hours ago, Mudhen said:

Did you have any success at the crafts market in Sydney? It's actually one of my favorite shopping stops of all our cruises. I guess it's because they have stuff we can actually use!

In fact, Linda, we did, thanks! Ginny purchased not only a pair of socks from Albert Bridge Alpacas (with an alpaca design, like yours), but also two skeins of yarn, from the owners’ herd of 22 alpacas!  She also was intrigued with the work of a jewelry artist, “Gloria K.,” who specializes in “quality hand crafted magnetic jewelry” with a supposed “therapeutic” benefit, and wound up buying a couple of colorful necklaces made from hematite.  The market, for those who have Sydney on a future itinerary, is located inside the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion and is called The Big Fiddle Market.  You can’t miss the building because, well, there is this big fiddle outside:

 

Edited October 10, 2019 by Mr Rumor

[Mudhen]

So glad to hear you had success there! Love those llama wool socks! There is also so much more to peruse in the market. Great shopping spot!

[Mr Rumor]

Twisting and shouting the night away at the Beatles Dance Party with Production Cast members Robin, Jonah and Nathan—and Shauna!

[cruiseluv]

Fabulous!! I need to get her pink leggings!

[Mr Rumor]

Linda/Mudhen, you gave me a good idea for a post when you asked about special cocktails being served on the Navigator this cruise.  I was inspired to check in with several veteran Regent bartenders, two of whom take pride in a cocktail you won’t find on the Regent Signature Cocktails menu.

 

For Ruslan, from Odessa with nine years with Regent, it’s a Vesper martini with blue cheese olives.  That’s fresh blue-cheese olives “handmade” by the Galileo’s Lounge bartender,  “not the stuff you buy in a jar.”  Ruslan added, “It’s an appetizer as well as an aperitif.”

 

For Mayya of Stars Lounge, on her fourth Regent contract, it’s a dry martini.  “But instead of dry vermouth I make it with ‘magic Mayya’!  I make it for guests who are adventurous.”

 

Mayya wasn’t ready to divulge the “magic Mayya” ingredient when we chatted in mid-afternoon.  But when I returned a little after six, she spilled the beans:  Her personal signature martini is made with dry sherry instead of vermouth.

 

Mayya proceeded to make me one.  Mmmm!

 

I also asked Ruslan and Mayya, as well as the Navigator Lounge’s Tatyana (also from Odessa and on her fifth Regent contract), what guests are ordering on this cruise.  The three most popular cocktails per bartender are as follows:

 

Tatyana:  1.) Cosmopolitan, 2.) Manhattan, 3.) Vodka Martini

Ruslan:  1.) Gin or Vodka Martini, 2.) Manhattan, 3.) Negroni on the rocks

Mayya:  1.) Lemon Drop Martini, 2.) Beluga Vodka (“a Russian vodka that is brand new on the ship”), Glenmorange Single Malt

Edited October 11, 2019 by Mr Rumor

[Mr Rumor]

I’ve been quite happy with our internet so far, only experiencing several brief instances where I couldn’t connect.  Internet manager Kushal, who I’ve had the pleasure to cruise with three times now, blamed the issue on temporary interference.

 

Since Kushal’s first Regent contract, with the Mariner in 2017, his employer, MTN, has made two internet upgrades on Regent ships, roughly doubling the internet speed to approximately 40 mbps.

 

Kushal added that MTN’s most recent enhancement, dating back about six months, has to do with the auto login.  When trying to get back online now, all one has to do click the network, and then click “Go Online.”  In other words, no need any longer to fill in any information to re-establish a connection.  Kushal described this improvement as the “captive portal.”

 

We’re docked in Portland, and just biding time in our cabin, waiting for CD Jamie to let us know when USA Customs and Border Protection is ready to begin the mandatory immigration face to face inspection in Compass Rose.  When we’ve passed inspection, we’ll depart on our excursion, Best of Maine.  The excursion was originally listed as seven hours long, but then we received a notice in our room stating that due to expected rough seas in Portland, the Kennebunkport harbor-cruise portion of our tour won’t operate.  So we’ll be back around 6, rather than 7.  

[Mr Rumor]

Portland, USA, hello!

[Kwaj girl]

@Mr Rumor - ask Ruslan to make you a "Ruslantini" - he has a 'day' version and a 'night' version........I'll leave it at that!

[2012_Alaska_bound]

On 10/10/2019 at 4:55 AM, Mr Rumor said:

 

 

Our Commodore is none other that long-time Regent resident Captain Jablin, who has somewhere north of 5,000 nights.  I hope he’s feeling as good as he looks at 95.  

 

Another great reason to dine in Mario's section in Compass Rose when it first opens is to see Captain Jablin each evening!

Edited October 11, 2019 by 2012_Alaska_bound

[Mudhen]

OOOO! Thank you, Rich, for doing the bar research! This way we have a heads up on what's special ! Do you have any idea if they are doing an upscale wine dinner/lunch/tasting? I know they usually do a general wine tasting for most of the inclusive wines which is always fun, but we've got some obc to burn this time. That would be a good use for some of it, if they have anything special going on.

Do you get to spend anytime in Manhattan after you disembark, or is it straight home?

Continue to enjoy and again, thank you for taking us along!

[Bigdogwon]

10 hours ago, Mr Rumor said:

Linda/Mudhen, you gave me a good idea for a post when you asked about special cocktails being served on the Navigator this cruise.  I was inspired to check in with several veteran Regent bartenders, two of whom take pride in a cocktail you won’t find on the Regent Signature Cocktails menu.

 

For Ruslan, from Odessa with nine years with Regent, it’s a Vesper martini with blue cheese olives.  That’s fresh blue-cheese olives “handmade” by the Galileo’s Lounge bartender,  “not the stuff you buy in a jar.”  Ruslan added, “It’s an appetizer as well as an aperitif.”

 

For Mayya of Stars Lounge, on her fourth Regent contract, it’s a dry martini.  “But instead of dry vermouth I make it with ‘magic Mayya’!  I make it for guests who are adventurous.”

 

Mayya wasn’t ready to divulge the “magic Mayya” ingredient when we chatted in mid-afternoon.  But when I returned a little after six, she spilled the beans:  Her personal signature martini is made with dry sherry instead of vermouth.

 

Mayya proceeded to make me one.  Mmmm!

 

I also asked Ruslan and Mayya, as well as the Navigator Lounge’s Tatyana (also from Odessa and on her fifth Regent contract), what guests are ordering on this cruise.  The three most popular cocktails per bartender are as follows:

 

Tatyana:  1.) Cosmopolitan, 2.) Manhattan, 3.) Vodka Martini

Ruslan:  1.) Gin or Vodka Martini, 2.) Manhattan, 3.) Negroni on the rocks

Mayya:  1.) Lemon Drop Martini, 2.) Beluga Vodka (“a Russian vodka that is brand new on the ship”), Glenmorange Single Malt

Rusian was our favorite bartender on the Voyager this past December, his Vespers are my favorite and Mayya was our bartender this past April Tokyo to Tokyo.  Please say hello from us, Tom (the really tall guy) and Larry.

[Mr Rumor]

We returned from our Best of Maine excursion at 6:30, just in time to hear the voice of Captain Ari in our cabin with breaking news:  Due to weather conditions—a forecast of 35 knot winds and 12-15 foot swells tonight and 15-25 knot winds and 5-7 foot swells tomorrow—Bar Harbor, a tender port, has been cancelled for tomorrow.  Instead we’ll overnight in Portland and set sail for Boston tomorrow at 6 p.m. 

 

Destination Services was able to rustle up four excursions for Portland tomorrow, but by the time we made it to the Destinations desk after the French Buffet at La Veranda, only the two-hour Portland Highlights tour was still available.  After our six hour tour today, the 8:20 a.m. departure time didn’t look attractive, so we’ve opted to explore Portland’s downtown on our own.

 

The blustery scene at Portland Head Light late this afternoon should have tipped me off we might be hearing from Captain Ari about our next port!

[rcandkc]

Last November we missed Bar harbor due to bad weather.  Fall is an iffy time.  You have had more sunny weather than we had by far.  There are some nice little shops in Portland right off the Main Street.  We just wandered and had a perfectly fine day v

[Mr Rumor]

A scene from our passing bus as we returned to the ship on I-95 this afternoon.  Best day of fall-colors viewing yet!

 

 

[pingpong1]

Rich - I highly recommend Di Millo's Restaurant On The Water.  Very close to the Cruise Docks.  25 Long Wharf.  The best, most scrumptious, over-sized Lobster Rolls you could ever imagine!  A good place for lunch.  For a tourist place, the prices were pretty reasonable.  Best Regards.